


"What does your heart tell you?"

by Unquietlibrarian



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Qui-Gon is the king Obi-Tine shipper, Satine is a good mom, almost family fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:53:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29031231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unquietlibrarian/pseuds/Unquietlibrarian
Summary: Satine, jolted by Qui-Gon's death, decides to invite Obi-Wan to Mandalore to "advise negotiations" (meet their son).
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze
Comments: 4
Kudos: 93





	1. “We are a people of tradition”

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't remember if Obi-Wan and Korkie ever met in Clone Wars, thus this small headcanon was born. There will be 4 chapters, all are relatively finished. Writer is not a *writer*, has very average grammatical command of English. I don't read much Obitine fic, so hopefully nothing from this has been done too many times before. The Star Wars fandom is scary okay, so think of this as a blanket disclaimer that I don't know if a lot of these things are correct. Do Mandalorians have coronations? Maybe. Is there a place I could find that out? Probably. But did I find it? No. So this is in-universe to my knowledge. Obi-Wan and Satine are the OTP that originally introduced me to fanfic (they were robbed. I still feel so much pain), and I am a sucker for the classic Star Wars trope of revealing family relationships. Surprise! You kissed your sister!! Hope you enjoy.

“We are a people of tradition”

Satine

The news of Qui-Gon’s death had been a punch to her gut. She’d sent her aides away for the day, canceled her meetings, and taken a moment in the gardens. He was one of the best men she’d ever known. When the Jedi had first come to protect her, she had barely been able to put one foot in front of the other, she was so consumed by her grief. Qui-Gon had understood her reticence and her anger, and given her space until she learned to trust them. Then he helped her rebuild herself, one day at a time. He had negotiated peace between her and Obi-Wan tirelessly for weeks, and then turned a blind eye as they discovered the… cause of their tension. He was always sending them out together to gather food, needlessly collect firewood, and other nonsense. Either he was exhausted by their bickering-turned-flirting or he had known exactly what was happening. 

Obi said that Qui-Gon had once a great love himself, until he lost her. He didn’t want them to share his regret. Satine realized he was finally reunited with her in the force, and only then did she begin to cry for her friend.

She would miss him. She would not have survived that year without him. She’d treasured seeing him, and of course Obi-Wan, in the years since they had returned her to Mandalore. They’d come to her coronation six years ago. Qui-Gon’s pride had meant the world to her. And the look on Obi-Wan’s face- she smiled at the memory. It had been one of the best days of her life. She had everything she wanted, everyone she loved who was still alive, for just one day. 

She’d found out she was pregnant several weeks later. 

And once again, she had never felt so alone. Her family was gone.The only people in the galaxy she knew she could trust were Obi and Qui-Gon… as much as she wanted someone to support her, telling them was not an option. Now Qui-Gon would never have the opportunity to know the truth, or to meet her son. She imagined how happy he would have been to see what she and Obi-Wan had created with their love. A love he had all but encouraged. He was much less stiff about those things than Obi-Wan was. She smirked and rolled her eyes. 

Obi-Wan. Her Ben. 

She was sure he was devastated by the loss. Though he would never admit it, he had loved Qui-Gon. Of course he had! Jetii and their nonsense about attachment. She rolled her eyes again, this time with markedly less fondness. 

Satine did not resent the Jedi, or Obi-Wan for that matter. They were committed to keeping the peace in the galaxy, and she could wholeheartedly support that. But with Qui-Gon now dead, she was reminded of the lie she had lived, and how not even her beloved Ben knew the truth. They spoke fairly often, but she’d never been able to lie to him, much less tell him the truth. She wondered if he’d heard the story of the Duchess of Mandalore taking in her orphaned infant nephew, and raising him as her own. 

Perhaps she should tell him. She knew- she’d always known- that if she asked him to walk away from the Order he would do it. She just didn’t know if they’d be able to live with themselves after. 

There was a funeral for Qui-Gon on Naboo the next cycle. She would attend, of course. He had saved her so many times, from her own misery as much from any of the bounty hunters who had been sent for her. And Obi would be there. 

She pressed the button on her comm that summoned her son’s nanny. Her son. She almost never said the words aloud. So few people knew the truth. 

She couldn’t bring him with her to the funeral. But he could stay aboard the Coronet. He loved space travel, so he would enjoy the trip. She smiled, recalling how transfixed he was by their last journey through hyperspace. He had stared out the viewport for hours, the ion clouds casting a beautiful light on his face, and asked a hundred questions about space travel that she had no idea how to answer. He looked so like Obi-Wan to her, with those deep blue eyes. He had finally fallen asleep in her arms, lulled by the hum of the ship and the calming sweep of hyperspace. 

“Auntie!!” He bounded down the path to where she was sitting. She stood, laughing, and caught him as he tried to bowl her over. His nannies had followed behind, and as she picked him up she waved to them, motioning that she would take him for the rest of the day. If Satine had her way she would spend all of her time with him. But she had her duties. 

Her dear boy would grow up believing he was an orphan, all because his parents had their duties. She couldn’t imagine anything more opposite Mandalorian tradition. 

As distasteful as it was, she was still grateful. She held him close, rocking back and forth for a few moments, before pulling back to look at him. 

“Hello Korkie” she said, her heart overflowing. “Tell me what you did today! Did Lea’ner take you to the spaceport?” 

“She did! We saw lots of freighters, a huge cargo ship, and even two gauntlets!” His excitement was tangible. But he was always like this, and Satine never stopped giving silent thanks to her ancestors that such a wonderful boy was hers.

“Oh wow! What a good day for watching ships! Which one was your favorite, ad’ika?” 

“I liked the gauntlets,” he said thoughtfully.  
“But Lea’ner said you don’t like gauntlets” he looked at her sheepishly. 

She faked offense. “How silly! Gauntlets are beautiful ships!” She tickled him for a moment and giggled with him. 

“When I was a little girl, some people used gauntlets to hurt other Mandalorians... But what matters most about a ship is the person inside flying it. Not what it looks like from the outside, and not what it carries, where it is from, or where it is going. That’s why I know you will be the best pilot in the galaxy” 

“Will you let me fly the Coronet one day, ba’vodu?” He’d been asking since he had learned how to talk. Maybe on their trip to Naboo she would take him to the bridge so he could watch. Perhaps they’d let him press a button or pull a lever. Of course they would- the palace staff loved Korkie. He had each of them wrapped around his finger, knew most of their names, and had a favorite or two. She knew they doted on him constantly, passing him treats, bringing him gifts, or secretly letting him “drive” their speeders. She often felt like Qui-Gon, sweeping those details under the rug, just to see her beloved boy happy. 

“Oh you have such big dreams, my dear! That is amazing. Of course you can fly the Coronet one day. As long as you keep working hard to become a pilot, I know you’ll be there in no time.”

She put him down, and they began a walk through the gardens, pointing out everything from insects and birds to the ships taking off in distance, under the dome. He ran ahead of her, and she thought how much she loved him. She tried to think of that every day, and never let it become a novelty. 

Her thoughts returned to her son’s father, and to Qui-Gon. He would want Satine to give Obi-Wan a chance to know his son. She had always suspected that Qui-Gon would have been delighted if Obi had chosen to stay with her. He was very unconventional. She had definitely day-dreamed about bringing Korkie to an event that Obi-Wan would attend, but in her mind he had always been so much older. And she didn’t realistically know how any meeting would go. It might be that Obi-Wan would suspect the truth- it always seemed painfully obvious to her, but she had taken so many steps to keep her lie intact. No, it would be safer for Korkie to introduce them on Mandalore, in an environment that she could control, full of people she could trust. 

She looked out over Sundari and sighed. She had made many sacrifices, yes, but to see her people at peace was a gift second to none. Her entire life was dedicated to this vision. And they had made progress the past six years. Everything looked so calm from the garden- thousands of people using the new ground-transit system, the cargo ships making deliveries, children going to schools… Just taking these simple steps had required much in political currency, and they’d barely begun. That is what she would do- invite a member of the Order to Sundari as a token of goodwill, to showcase the progress they had made, and advise future negotiations. The Jetii did like to keep a close eye on Mandalore. She would request Obi-Wan of course, the council likely to approve it because of their friendship and his penchant for negotiation.

Her son deserved to meet his father, at least once. So that force forbid, if anything ever happened, he would at least have one memory to hold onto. She shuddered, and considered the future.

Korkie obviously didn’t remember ever having a mother other than her. When she told him stories of his parents, and she often did, she gave him vague details about her and Obi-Wan. “You have your father’s eyes,” “your mother loved those flowers as well when she was your age,” “your father would be so proud to see you being generous”...  
She had tried never to lie to him, except for telling him she was his aunt and that his parents were gone. But she knew that one day he would puzzle out the truth, and that the day was fast approaching when telling him things about his parents would be too dangerous to continue. She hoped to tell him the truth before he put it together himself, but he had to be old enough to understand the importance of secrecy. 

The Mandalorians and Jedi had a long, mutual distrust. Knowing that the eventual heir to the throne was the son of a Jedi could upset the very fragile peace she had worked so hard for. Worse, it would put her son in danger. One day the truth could be revealed, but not yet. She had to protect him while she could. 

Satine watched him closely, always looking for signs that he might have Obi-Wan’s gifts. That could complicate things further, but wouldn’t spell out certain doom if it were to happen. He was definitely a special boy, but did all mothers not think that of their children? She wasn’t sure. He was mature for his age, and had a sensitivity to others’ feelings that she thought was extraordinary. But she’d never seen him move anything with his mind or perform outrageous physical feats. Blasted Jetii and their magic. 

No, her boy was perfect. They watched the sun setting, its light refracted by many layers of glass between them and the open sky. She was terrified by the events of the coming days, but knew she owed it to her son, to Obi-Wan, and to Qui-Gon. One day she would tell each of them the truth, she told herself. But when would depend on what they would make of that truth, and their own points of view. They could believe what they needed to for now.


	2. “Far be it from me to keep the Duchess waiting”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events of Qui-Gon’s funeral.

“Far be it from me to keep the Duchess waiting”

Obi-Wan

He had known she would be here. Despite the turmoil of a master dead, the renewed threat of the sith, becoming a Knight, taking the boy as his Padawan… Obi-Wan sighed and rubbed his chin. Despite the many demands on his attention these past days, there had still been a small, ecstatic voice in his head screaming that he would see Satine soon. 

He had known she would be here, but he hadn’t expected the sight of her to take his breath away after all this time, though perhaps he should have. It had been years since they’d seen each other in person. Not that he was counting. She had been busy- rebuilding, restoring, and re-making her home world. Every so often he saw news of it in the Holonet, or heard Mandalore mentioned in the senate. He and Qui-Gon always shared a silent, proud look in those moments.

During Qui-Gon’s funeral the flame had bathed her face beautifully in a low, flickering light that reflected off of her tears. It felt right that they were both there to remember him together. The year the three of them had spent fighting for their lives had taught them pivotal things about themselves and about the force. He knew Qui-Gon was like a second father to Satine, and a centering influence when her life, as she knew it, had ended. He shuddered to remember the loneliness and despair she projected in the force when they had first met.

After the funeral’s end, when Obi-Wan and Anakin had mingled sufficiently with the other Jedi, the senators, the politicians, the queen- they had finally been able to slip away. Satine waited for him in an alcove, after breaking off her conversations. 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi… A Jedi Knight. Congratulations!” She said warmly. Just hearing her say his name again caused his heart to soar. He took her hand and brought it to his lips, noting her small smile at the gesture. 

“Thank you, my dear. It’s not every day one has the pleasure of being in the presence of the Duchess of Mandalore. I have heard many reports of your success there. You’ve accomplished wonderful things in just a few short years.” At his words he felt her happiness glow for a moment, and turn to curiosity as she pointedly looked towards Anakin. Blast it, he was still not used to having a Padawan.

“Oh of course, Duchess, this is my new Padawan learner Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon met him on Tattooine before his death. He is strong in the force and already an excellent pilot. Anakin, this is the Duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze of Kalevala. Master Qui-Gon and I spent a year with the Duchess during their civil war, protecting her from bounty hunters.” 

“You knew Master Qui-Gon too?” the boy said. Obi-Wan could feel his sadness and uncertainty. In just a matter of days Anakin had grown very attached to Qui-Gon. The severe heartache he felt from his young Padawan was concerning. He hoped to get his training underway soon, to distract him. 

Satine smiled at Anakin. “I did know him. He saved my life many times. He was the wisest man I have ever met... I miss him too.” She added, sadly. 

“But your Master Obi-Wan is a powerful Jedi, Anakin. I know he will teach you many things about the force and help you become a great Jedi one day.” Obi-Wan felt his face warm at her words, and her kindness to the boy. 

“Thank you, Satine,” Obi-Wan said shyly.  
“I am sorry that we are meeting under such circumstances. But Qui-Gon would have been happy to know that you came, and that we shared a few thoughts on those memories of him. You meant very much to him.” 

Satine smiled, but quirked an eyebrow. “I thought Jedi were not to form attachments, Master Kenobi!” 

He felt the tease behind her words, and smiled a genuine smile. 

“He was a great man. We were very lucky to know him.” She sighed, lost in her thoughts. He felt her tense in the force with sudden purpose, and raised his eyebrows at her quizzically. 

“Oh Obi-Wan must you always read my mind?” she said with exasperation. 

“How long will your engagements continue on Naboo? I placed a request with the council earlier today to send a Jedi envoy to Sundari. I require advisement on negotiations, and would like to report the success we have had back to the council…” she hesitated. 

“I asked them for you” she said, with more vulnerability in her voice than he knew she would have wanted. 

Obi-Wan was surprised, but tried not to let it show on his face. His hurry to return to Coruscant was all but forgotten.

“I will discuss it with the council, but for our part Anakin and I would be happy to visit Sundari before we return to the temple. We will be required here for some time, but I can keep you up-to-date on our schedule.” He smiled at her and he felt her tension lessen. Lessen, but not release entirely. He took note of it, but would not push her to divulge more than she wanted. 

She smiled and took his hands in a friendly gesture. 

“Of course you must. I look forward to having you both. In the meantime, I’m afraid I must be off to attend to matters on my ship. It is always good to see you, Obi-Wan. And it was a pleasure to meet the great Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker. I look forward to great things from you.” 

She held his hands a moment longer, and squeezed them, before turning and re-joining her security detail several steps away. 

Obi-Wan watched her go, as he considered her invitation. Anakin looked up at him, confused, and said “Master, are you afraid to go to Mandalore to visit the Duchess?”

Obi-Wan shook himself from his thoughts. He would certainly have to be more mindful of his feelings. 

“You are very perceptive, Anakin. Your connection to the force is strong.” He smiled at him and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. 

“I am not afraid, though I anticipate that the Duchess has withheld the true meaning of her invitation. She was very uneasy.” 

Anakin frowned. “Do you think that the Duchess is bad?”

Obi-Wan chuckled lightly, “On no, my young Padawan. The Duchess and I are old friends. There is no one I trust more outside of the Order. I am sure her intentions are genuine, and the council will allow us to visit Sundari.” 

And secretly, though he did his best to shield these feelings from Anakin, he was very happy to have been invited. Not just for the sake of seeing the rebuilt capitol or advising negotiations, but to spend time with Satine for the first time in years. As hard as he tried to put the past behind them, he had begun to accept that she would always have a place in his life, and a place in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet kiddo Anakin doesn’t really get to say much in this work, but he has an important role in the final chapters.  
> “Advisement to negotiations” is probably not the best that Satine would be able to come up with. I thought it was funny so it stayed.  
> Her chapters have far more inner thought, not necessarily because she thinks more deeply than her dear Obi-Wan (though let’s be real, she might) but because she has ~secrets, and she has to consider lots of variables and outcomes.


	3. “The negotiations were short”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well reader, you were right about one thing: the negotiations were short.

“The negotiations were short”

Obi-Wan

Obi-wan had thoroughly enjoyed his day in Sundari, and for a day of mingling with politicians and attending meetings, that was saying something. 

It was clear that Satine’s government had not only made excellent progress, but that they were a real force in changing the culture of Mandalore. Though hardly all of her people agreed with her pacifistic ways, they were building common ground. 

He hadn’t been to Sundari in many years, not since he and Qui-Gon had attended her coronation. Though more simple than most of the other coronations he’d attended, the three of them took great happiness in being together again, even if just for the day. It was the last time they had all been together, he realized now, with a pang of sadness.The city had changed in those six years. The force felt less tense here then it used to, and the people lived happy lives. He was proud of her. 

Anakin, still unfamiliar with the galaxy outside Tattooine, had been enthralled, and asked many questions. His curiosity was all the better, for it distracted him from his mother and Qui-Gon.  
After their meetings had concluded and they’d attended a banquet with the heads of government, they were escorted back to the palace with Satine to say their goodbyes. 

Obi-Wan had delighted in each of the projects she told him about, everything Mandalore was finally able to do for its people, now that the constant warring had ended. His heart swelled when she spoke with pride about all of it. She was a gifted and compassionate ruler. The different government leaders all looked to her for the final say, he’d noticed. Overall he would report to the council that though there were still those on Mandalore who did not agree with peace, he was very pleased by the progress he had seen there. He knew that the planet could not be in the hands of a more capable leader. 

Upon their return to the palace, Satine led them to a comfortable lounge in her private quarters. Anakin had gaped at the architecture the whole day, but the artwork displayed in the palace, along with the glass walls were different from anything he’d seen. 

“Very different from the palace on Naboo, isn’t it?” Obi-Wan had asked him. 

He nodded, still taking it all in. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but think how a formerly enslaved boy from Tattooine may take some time adjusting to this life of diverse commitments- palaces, banquets, and balls, yes, but also battlefields, natural disasters, and prisons. He was excited to experience it all through Anakin’s young, innocent eyes. 

He and Satine chose perpendicular chairs in the lounge, while Anakin continued walking the room to study all of the art more closely. He could feel her anxiety returning to her now that their day of politics had finally ended, and they were relatively alone. 

As they took their seats, a young boy bolted into the room, tagged by his nanny. Obi-Wan felt a jolt in the force, a smile of approval at his arrival. 

The boy went straight to Satine, throwing his arms around her before nervously peeking out at their visitors. Obi-Wan’s heart was warmed by the display, though also confused. Satine had never mentioned having a child in her life, but their bond was strong. It was as if to the two of them, the other was the only person in the room. He could feel the comfort they took in each other. The boy seemed to be a few years younger than Anakin. And he looked achingly like Satine. They spoke to each other sweetly, faces close together for a moment, until she drew his attention to their guests.

The boy didn’t answer, captivated or intimidated by the strangers. Obi-Wan smiled at him when their eyes met. 

Satine wrestled him in front of her to properly introduce them. Obi-Wan could feel her anxiety pulsing, and tried to send her calming suggestions through the force. 

“Ben… Anakin, this is my nephew, Korkie Kryze.”  
Obi-Wan had startled at her use of his Mando’a nickname. It felt like it should belong to another lifetime, another man. 

“His family has been separated by war and duty, and I am raising him as my own. Korkie, this is Jedi master Obi-Wan who I told you about, and his apprentice Anakin.” 

Obi-Wan felt almost dazed. From the unexpected use of his name, those memories, and for the boy who would be raised without his parents... For the woman who would love him as her own, whose burdens Obi-Wan had known nothing of. 

“It is very nice to meet you Korkie. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is my Padawan Anakin Skywalker” he smiled genuinely at the boy. Anakin had returned to sit by Obi-Wan’s side when the introductions had begun. 

“Are you a Jedi?” The boy asked in awe. It was obvious he had been told stories, or prepared to meet his guests.  
“Do you have a lightsaber?” 

Obi-Wan smiled at him. “Yes, Korkie, we are members of the Jedi order. I constructed my lightsaber when I was a few years older than Anakin. He will make one for himself soon as well.” He said, looking to Anakin and nodding. 

“Do you think I could have a lightsaber one day? Or do I have to be a Jedi?” His brow furrowed a bit with confusion, and he brought a hand to his chin. Obi-Wan caught Satine’s eye and they shared a smile over the child. She obviously took much pride in him.

“Korkie, why don’t you show Anakin some of your model ships! I hear he is a young pilot. He could probably tell you many stories about flying.” She suggested tenderly. 

Korkie eyed Anakin with wonderment. The older boy smiled, a bit embarrassed and looked to Obi-Wan for confirmation. His master nodded encouragingly, and Anakin happily followed Korkie out of the room. They watched them as long as they could, until the glass separating them became opaque. 

Obi-Wan started, “Satine I cannot imagine the pressure you must feel, ruling a system and raising a child on your own. I am so sorry for you and Korkie’s loss. He is very fortunate to have you as his family” he caught her eye again in a meaningful glance, and held it for a moment. 

She sighed and looked into the distance. “Yes. Another example of the tragedy wrought on our people by violence, war, bloodshed… It has left an indelible mark on his young life. He’ll never know his parents.”

She paused and her tone lightened, “But I love him as my own and thank the force for sending him to me. He is very special.” 

He considered this. Her life had been defined by pain. Yet she didn’t bear the scars or blame the world- she demanded better from everyone around her, especially from him. He was glad that the force had given her something soft and good to love and care for. She deserved it. 

He’d always felt like he had taken so much from her by leaving- the chance of love, of having someone by her side as she ruled, a protector, perhaps even a family. 

The force had found a way to consecrate one of those sacrifices and return it to her, always leaning towards balance. 

“He looks very like you. That Mando’ade blood is strong, isn’t it? I’m sure he’ll be a bold warrior, just like his aunt” he said with his token sarcasm. 

She giggled and shoved him. “A warrior that is peaceful, you mean? That almost makes him sound like a Jedi” her voice was teasing, but her eyes turned sad and pensive again. His attempt at humor had barely cheered her up for a moment. She was suffering more than he’d known. 

He took her hands and ran his thumbs across her knuckles, again sending her comforting suggestions. She stared at their joined hands with an unreadable look.

“Motherhood suits you. You are a strong leader who has healed your people. I have no doubt you will heal whatever pain Korkie may suffer from” 

He ducked his head to catch her eye, and saw tears shining in them. 

“Thank you Ben” the name again. She must know what it did to him. 

“Your Padawan is already very attached to you as well. I am sure you are an excellent teacher” She said, sounding better. 

He decided to overlook her use of the word “attachment”.

“It all happened very quickly, but Anakin is a wonderful student and I am very fortunate to be his master...” He hesitated to share the rest, but he liked having someone he could share these things with. They’d always had an easy intimacy. 

“Qui-Gon… believed that Anakin is the chosen one who will bring balance to the force” 

She was obviously surprised by his statement, but he hadn’t expected her to understand it fully. 

“Does that mean there is going to be some sort of conflict? Have the Jedi felt the force out of balance?” She asked, worriedly. 

“We aren’t sure, but the re-emergence of the Sith does not bode well… not at all. It seems that many forces are in play that are out of our hands... But he is very strong with the force and will become a far more powerful Jedi than I could ever hope to be” 

She considered this for a long moment before answering. He’d always liked that about her. She listened, and then responded with a thought-out response or solution. She was never merely placating or comforting, always practical and forthcoming. He longed for the days when he could come to her with any problem and get her brutally honest opinion of the matter. 

Qui-Gon, who had broken up one too many of their arguments, would have called it a great irony that he hadn’t lived to see them grow out of that. 

“Oh Ben you must give yourself credit. You have been chosen to train him for a reason. The force willed it to be so. Perhaps the… sacrifices you have made were necessary to bring you to this exact place. He needs you.” 

He knew what it had cost her to mention his “sacrifices”. Blast, she’d always been much more bold in discussing their relationship openly. But her words had bolstered his heart and he would treasure them. He remembered at that moment that he had a gift for her, and realized that now was the opportune moment to give it.

Instead of answering, he released her hands to reach into his cloak. 

“I have a gift for you,” he said softly, without meeting her eyes. 

“It is a tradition for a padawan, when they take their vows, to cut their braid and give it to their master as a reminder.” He stopped for a moment, respectfully thinking of his master. Qui-Gon would want him to give it to her.

“Since I wasn’t able to take my vows before Qui-Gon was killed I did not have that opportunity…” he looked up at her, meeting her eyes, and said,

“I’d like for you to have it.” 

He removed his hand from his cloak, clutching his braid, and held it out to her with palms outstretched.

A tear slipped down her cheek silently as she held out her hands to receive his gift.

“Ben…” she sniffed, composed herself, and then continued. 

“I know that you loved Qui-Gon. No- you don’t have to say that you didn’t because of your code… I know you did. I am so sorry that he was killed. But I will cherish this gift until my dying day, in his memory. And as a reminder of you, my dear Obi-Wan” 

She lifted a hand to his face and stroked a thumb across his smooth cheek. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t help but lean into it and close his eyes briefly. He shut out the voices in his head, warning of attachments and fear. He lifted his hand to hers and held it there. 

“When I took my vows I found it difficult not to think of you.” his quiet admission now laid out for both of them to grapple with. He had known, as it was sliced off, that with it went any possibility of walking away. Perhaps they would love each other their whole lives- no, he knew they would- but taking his vows meant that he was not a Padawan anymore. Some of the mistakes he had made could not be repeated. 

He knew she understood this without his having to say it. But he had wanted her to know that he was hers, and that a piece of him would always belong to her. 

“I expect you’ll always be difficult not to think of,” he said genuinely. 

“But just know, my dear, that a part of me is always with you.”

She continued to stroke his cheek for a moment before whispering, “You have given me a happiness far beyond what you know. I have never doubted your presence in my life for a moment.”

They were interrupted by their boys returning, as if on cue. He felt the uplift of the force once more, which seemed redundant even for the force. Anakin was talking excitedly, telling Korkie about what it was like to pod-race in the Boonta Eve. 

Korkie, nonplussed to be interrupting the adults, held up a model Naboo starfighter and said  
“Auntie Satine!!! This is the ship that Anakin flew in! He went all the way to space and blew up a whole control ship!” 

Satine looked skeptically at Obi-Wan, who smugly nodded his head up and down slowly. She looked very impressed, indeed. He put his hands on Anakin’s shoulders and said,

“When you are old enough to learn how to fly Korkie, I’m sure Anakin would love to give you lessons. He is a far better pilot than me. You’d be learning from one of the best in the galaxy.” 

The little boy, again, looked absolutely awestruck. Satine picked him up and prompted him to respond, saying “would you like that, Kork?” 

He nodded vigorously with wide eyes. Obi-Wan felt his heart soften to the boy. No wonder it was so easy for Satine to step into her role as his mother. He was very special. And she was, after all, despite her pacifistic ways, a Mandalorian. They valued nothing more than their children. 

He was surprised when Satine stepped towards him for an embrace, without putting the boy down. She wrapped her free arm around him, and buried her face in his shoulder. He put his arms around her and Korkie, resting his face against her hair. Her smell, the feel of her body on his, her heartbeat, everything was so familiar. Like a long lost dream that he kept remembering details of. He was surprised at how comfortable the boy was, trapped in an embrace by two adults who weren’t his parents. He relished holding her. Who knew how long it would be until he could again. The force did not admonish him for it, instead he felt an overwhelming sense of peace, of rightness even. Then he breathed her in once more, loosened his grip, and they stepped apart. 

“May the force be with you, Obi-Wan, until we meet again.” She said softly.

“Bye Anakin! I hope we see each other soon!” Said Korkie, the young boy sad to say goodbye, but excited by the piloting prospects he’d gained today. 

“Thank you for keeping him company, Anakin, I’m sure he will be talking about you for weeks. I do hope we all meet again soon. Best of luck with your training, I know you will make a fine Jedi” Satine told Anakin, patting his cheek. 

“It was a pleasure to meet you, young Korkie Kryze. You have the makings of a fine pilot. Or warrior” -at this Satine eyed him like a snake, and he smiled, continuing- “your aunt has many good stories from when we were younger. Ask her to tell you about all the times we had to use our lightsabers.” He patted the boy gently on the back, an odd pain filling his chest as he did.

Obi-Wan took a long look at Satine, considering the feelings that had come over him. He reached for her hand, and pressed his lips to it tenderly. “Until we meet again, my dear.” she nodded at him, unable to say anything else.

He turned, placed his hand on Anakin’s back, and began their journey back to Coruscant, where his Padawan would begin training. Every step committed him to his future, to Anakin, the council, his vows… He owed it to his Padawan to be the best Jedi he could be. Anakin felt his eyes on him and smiled nervously. Obi-Wan returned the smile and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. 

The future. Not the past. Not the woman behind him with the boy in her arms... The way he clung to her, the love he sensed she had for him. Obi-Wan’s feelings had never betrayed him before. Could it be? 

No. He couldn’t allow himself to consider it or count the years. Couldn’t consider how a child, perhaps his child, had blue eyes and auburn hair, but the smile and face of the woman he loved…

Some other time, then. She had told him he was needed here, by this boy here, beside him. The one behind him only needed her, and she would take care of him. Obi-Wan was sure she could do anything. 

So he kept walking, with Anakin, toward whatever awaited them on Coruscant and in the rest of the galaxy. Every step casting off Ben, becoming just Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi knight, once more. He trusted that the force would safely deliver Satine and Korkie Kryze to their next meeting. He found strength now in knowing that she would always carry a piece of him with her, the way he carried her in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Busy chapter, right? A few different people had thoughts on what Obi-Wan did with his braid: gave it to Anakin, put it on Qui-Gon’s funeral pyre, gave it to Satine... I’m not sure what happened to it but those are all great options. 
> 
> I know Obi-Wan and Satine fight so much in Clone Wars. But I couldn’t do that to them here. They just didn’t have as much to fight about at this point (though realistically they could fight about anything, we’ve all seen that dinner brawl they had aboard the Coronet in Voyage of Temptation). But only sweet fluffy vibes are allowed here.  
> Also, I love Mando culture and I’m really hoping we get more stories about what happens there after Order 66, the Purge, etc.


	4. “What does your heart tell you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter :) thank you for reading! I hope it was enjoyed!

“What does your heart tell you?”

Satine

Satine and Korkie watched the two Jedi leave together, until they couldn’t see them anymore. She nearly collapsed back down on the chair, and he snuggled into her side. 

“Ba’vodu what is the force?” He asked her innocently. 

Her year with the Jedi had made her more conscious of the force than most Mandalorians. They had made a believer out of her. She couldn’t feel the force necessarily, but she knew that it had been with her today. It brought all living things towards balance. Perhaps she hadn’t told Obi-Wan about his son, but she knew that Korkie had made an impression on him. He had always told her stories of Jedi who had been given miraculous clarity through the force. Perhaps it would bring him the knowledge when the time was right. Satine learned long ago to trust in it and its timing. After all, her dear Obi-Wan had always returned unharmed, and that was evidence enough for her. 

“Master Kenobi always told me it was an energy created by all living things. You can’t see it, but you can feel it in here” she placed her hand on his heart and smiled at him. 

“Oh... Anakin said he could use it and that’s how he learned to fly” he said with discouragement. 

“Oh ad’ika just because Anakin learned that way doesn’t mean you will. You are already learning very quickly! You must not be discouraged, Korkie” she pulled him to her chest and cupped his head with her hand. He tightened his grip around her. They both sat for a few minutes, exhausted by the day, appreciating the stillness.

Korkie’s voice was muffled by her body when he said, so vulnerable it broke her heart, “why do I call you ba’vodu and not mom?”

Satine had to react quickly to stifle the sob that almost jumped out of her throat. Her son’s little voice calling her “mom” for the first time had made her feel something primal and desperate, but also broken. The brave vulnerability of a child. She had so much to learn from him. How could she explain this without hurting him? 

He pulled back to look at her, and when he saw her tears shining his eyes filled with concern. 

“What makes you want to call me that, dear one?” She asked him, sniffling. 

“Anakin told me about his mom and how much he misses her. He doesn’t have a ba’vodu, just a mom. He told me he can feel through the force that you love me the way his mom loves him in the force.”

Satine couldn’t do this. She cried. She squeezed him so hard she didn’t know if she could squeeze harder. She cradled him against her- was he too old to be cradled? She didn’t care. 

She looked down into his eyes as she rocked him.  
“What does your heart tell you, ad’ika?” 

Korkie’s eyes glazed for a moment. She stroked his face the way she had stroked his father’s a few minutes ago, smiling softly. 

“I think you’re my ba’vodu and my mom. I don’t ever want to leave you like Anakin left his mom though. He felt so sad when he remembered her” 

He had felt Anakin’s feelings. She couldn’t be surprised. The force had hijacked her brilliant plan for today and gone in many directions with it. Hopefully neither of the boys had focused much on the tension between her and Obi-Wan, she thought, kicking herself.

“Ni kar'tayl gai sa'ad. I know your name as my son. And I love you Korkie. More than anything in the world. You will never have to leave me the way he left his mother.”

He repeated the vow quietly to himself and smiled at her. He sat up in her lap and hugged her tightly around her neck. “It’s okay mom, you don’t have to cry. I love you too.” Satine held him and chuckled through her tears. 

She could wait until tomorrow to explain to him that she could only be his mother in his heart. She didn’t want to ruin this day. She had everything she wanted, everyone she loved who was still alive, for just one day.

—

Later that night he had fallen asleep next to her. She always let him sleep there. Most Mandalorian children slept with their parents for much of their first decade.

She ran her fingers through his hair until he was deeply asleep. Oh how he looked like Obi-Wan when he slept, with that ginger head and peaceful countenance.

Obi-Wan. She sighed contentedly. Every day she saw him was a miracle. The gift he had brought her had touched her heart. It would be among her most cherished possessions from now on. She would of course show it to Korkie when he was old enough to learn about his father. 

The force leaned toward balance, she thought, Obi’s words about Anakin still on her mind. It was all very curious. She had wanted something for her son to connect him to his father. And Obi-Wan had brought her his Padawan braid. She had wanted to tell Obi-Wan that they had a child. Instead, Korkie began connecting more deeply to the force, and questioning his parentage. She had wanted Obi-Wan to consider the implications of being a father, but she had been the one convinced that he was caring for the boy who needed him the most. 

She wished Qui-Gon could have been here to experience this day. She wished Korkie could have known him. He would have seen through her little “nephew” charade immediately, she thought, laughingly. He was always much less naive and devoted than her sweet Ben. Perhaps he’d heard about her adoption of her nephew before he died, and known. 

Satine had always been grateful for what she had, since she lost her family. Time spent longing for something was time spent unhappily. She had Mandalore, and she had her son. She didn’t spend her days missing Obi-Wan. They loved each other, and that was enough for her. They’d never considered saying marriage vows, but she always thought about how she subconsciously kept them. There would never be another for either of them.

Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde… We are one whether we are together or apart, we will share everything and we will raise our children as warriors.

Satine wasn’t sure about raising their child as a warrior- though she knew Obi-Wan’s genes and teasing would surely result in it. But she knew that she would love her Ben, always. She knew that their paths were deeply intertwined and that the force would bring them together again. 

She thought about how he’d held both of them, her new favorite memory. She was the only one who knew what a special thing had happened, and it made her feel so alone. For just a few moments they had almost been a family. One day perhaps, they really would be. All the people she loved in the world who were still alive. If only just for one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Mando’a vows (adoption first, marriage second) are both followed by their translations in the text. I had to throw them in, right. 
> 
> And that bit about Korkie not wanting to leave his mother behind the way Anakin does, when in the end they both fail to save their mothers. It was a parallel I could not resist. I truly hope they dive more deeply into Korkie, Mandalore, Clan Kryze, Obi-Wan’s great sacrifices, ETC.  
> Those parallels are all too good to be passed up on.

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a translations:
> 
> ba'vodu: aunt  
> ad'ika little one  
> Jetii: Jedi 
> 
> Satine uses Ben and Obi-Wan interchangeably in my head. I feel like our characters are very different before the war, and before we meet Satine in Clone Wars. The war definitely changed her perception of Obi-Wan, the Jedi, and the republic. And probably tripled her workload. So I really enjoyed writing younger, less pained versions of these poor people. God I wish I could tell them to run away as fast as they can.


End file.
